Machine for cutting railroad-ties.



No. 792,263. PATENTED JUNE 13,1905, G. A. HEGE & 0. R. TRAXLER. MACHINE FOR CUTTING RAILROAD TIES.

APPLICATION FILED DEO.18, 1899.

4 SHEETS-SHEET -1.

van/told:

. Nd. 792,263. 'PATENTEDJUNB 13, 1905.

0. A. HEGB & 0. R'. TRAXLER. MACHINE FOR CUTTING RAILROAD ms.

APPLIGATION FILED D3018, 1899.

' 4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

w lllllllllllll wax/WW1 E z z zlz fm Q 734%.

No.792,263. PATENTED JUNE 13, 1905.

' c. A. HEGE & 0. R. TRAXLER.

A7, 4 sums-sum a.

7 WW] V w amvawbow I U i/f-mcoaw: 1 I I zw ifi -W 4% a QM... 6 @A.

No. 792.263. PATENTED JUNE 13, 1905. G. A. HEGE & O. R. TRAXLER.

MACHINE FOR CUTTING RAILROAD TIES.

APPLICATION FILED DEO.18, 1899.

v 4 SHEETS-SHEET 4 mvewhozg Wi'cwwoao NITED STATES Patented June 13, 1905.

CONSTANTINE A. HEGE AND 61800 R. TRAXLER, OF SALEM, NORTH CAROLINA.

MACHINE FOR CUTTING RAILROAD-TIES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 792,263, dated June 13, 1905.

Application filed December 18,1899. Serial No. 740.815.

To all whom, it may concern..-

Be it known that we, CONSTANTINE ALEXAN- DER H new and (JIsco R. TRAXLER, citizens of the United States, residing at Salem, in the county of Forsyth and State of North Carolina, have in vented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Cutting Railroad-Ties; and we do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same,

refe rcnce being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

Our invention relates to machines for making railw ay cross-ties and for other purposes; and it has for its object to form such a machine which will be portable, so as to be easily transported and moved from place to place, and to provide simple and efficient means for shaping the cross-tie either with two flat sides and two curved sides or with four flat sides or otherwise, as may be desired, by the simple substitution of one shape of former in place of another, according to the shape of the cross-tie desired, whereby the cross-tie is made of uniform dimensions from end to end. It has, further, for its object to provide simple, compact, and eiiicient means for moving the cross-tie to and from the cutters or knives and also to provide for automatically throwing into operative connection means for retating the cross-tie as it is moved toward the cutters or knives and for automatically throwing said parts out of operative connection when the cross-tie is moved away from the cutters, whereby the rotation of the cross-tie may be stopped without stopping the rotation of the cutters, by which we mean the imparting of a rotary motion to the cross-tie when moved toward the cutters and the stopping of such rotary motion when the cross-tie is moved away from the cutters, such operations being effected in the forward-and-backward movement of the cross-tie.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and such other objects as may hereinafter appear the invention consists in the construction and also in the combination of parts hereinafter particularly described and then sought to be specifically defined by the claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof, and in which Figure l is a top plan view of the machine. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is an end view of the machine. Fig. 4 is a vertical cross-section on the line 4 4 of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a vertical cross-section on the line 5 5 of Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a front view of one of the cutter-heads. Fig. 7 is a side view of one of the cutter-heads. Fig. 8 is a vertical section through one of the cutter-heads. Fig. 9 is a perspective of one of the brackets or hangers which serve as bearings for the spindles to which the cross-tie is centered. Fig. 10 is a perspective of the shoe against which the former bears when the cross-tie is thrown forward to be acted on by the cutters. Fig. 11 is a perspective of another of the brackets or hangers which serve as bearings for the spindles to which the cross-tie is centered, and Fig. 12 is a vertical section through the center of the machine.

In the drawings, the letter A designates a frame mounted upon wheels B, so that the machine may be readily transported from place to place, and upon which are mounted the operative parts of the machine.

The letter C designates two metal standards mounted upon the frame and tied together by rods D, and in the upper part of the standard is journaled a shaft E, to which is secured the cutter-heads F by means of screws G, which pass through lugs a on the opposite faces of each cutter-head and at their lower ends bear against cut segments 60f the hubs of the cutter-heads, so that said cut segments or blocks may be forced against the shaft E, and thus clamp the cutter-heads thereto. These cutter-heads are each provided with blades or cutters 0, which are secured by bolts (Z to side flanges or webs on opposite sides of the cutter-heads, the portions of the cutter-heads between the blades being formed with the curved shoes f, whose outer faces and the cutting edges of the blades 0 are on the same are of a circle; but the blades are adjustable by the bolts rZ, so that in operation the cutting edge of the blades may project one-sixteenth of an inch, more or less, beyond the curved face of the shoes f, these shoes serving to prevent the blades cutting too deeply into the wood in their rotation. These cutter-heads are so positioned on the shaft E that the blades will describe a spiral extending lengthwise of the shaft, so that the most effective cutting is obtained in the rotation of the shaft. This shaft at one end carries a drive-pulley g, and the other end projects beyond the standard C, so as to receive a powertransmitting belt 71, which passes around a pulley H, that turns loosely upon a shaft I, journaled in the lower part of the standards C and provided at its opposite ends with handwheels J, the belt-pulley H having formed as a part thereof a pinion vi, which likewise turns loosely on the hand-shaft 1 and meshes with a gear K, which turns loosely on a shaft L and has rigidly secured to it so as to turn therewith a pinion 7', which meshes with a gear M, rigidly secured to the spindle N, which is journaled in the stock 0, which is keyed to the shaft L, said shaft also having keyed to it a stock 0, which carries a screwspindle N, the spindles N N serving to center the cross-tie P which is to be shaped. The screw-spindle N admits of adjustment, so as to accommodate the length of the cross-tie, and if the length of the tie should not be within the limit of adjustment of the screw-spin dle the stock 0' may be adjusted lengthwise on the shaft L, the key Z' and the groove in the shaft L admitting of such adjustment of the stock 0 as will accommodate the length of the cross-tie.

The shaft L is provided at opposite ends with the gears Q Q keyed thereto and which mesh with pinions m m, secured to the shaft I, so as to turn therewith, thus transmitting motion from the shaft I through pinions m m and gears Q Q to the shaft L, so as to lift the stocks O O, and thus throw or swing the cross-tie 1 toward the cutters or knives in order that the cross-tie may be acted on by the same. At this moment the cross-tie P is revolved through the rotating spindle N, which receives its motion through the gear M, pinion gear K, pinion vi, and belt-pulley H, the belt /1/ at such time having the slack in it taken up by a belt-tightener, so that motion will be transmitted from the cutter-shaft E to the belt and through the belt and members just mentioned to the cross-tie. The belttightener preferred consists of the two arms or links a a, which are pivoted together by a bolt 0, the link or arm n being hinged or pivoted at 0 to the stock 0 and the arm or link a being sleeved by a collar 7 to the shaft I and provided with a flanged friction-roller R, which will bear against the belt h when the lever composed of the two arms or links n n is moved in the lifting of the stock Q. It will thus be observed that as the cross-tie is moved toward the cutters rotary motion is transmitted at the same time to the cross-tie, such rotation being in the opposite direction to the rotation of the cutter-shaft, whereby the best results are obtained. It will also be observed that when the cross-tie is moved away from the cutters by turning of the shaft I in its opposite direction through the instrumentality of the hand-wheels J the belt-tightener will be moved away from the belt 7t, so that the latter will be slackened sufliciently to cease to transmit motion to the belt-pulley H, and hence the means for rotating the cross-tie will be thrown into their loose or inactive position, so that the rotation of the cross-tie will be stopped and the tie may be removed and another substituted without stopping the rotation of the cutter-shaft.

It will be observed that the swinging carriage is so formed and positioned in relation to the rotary cutters that when the carriage is raised to bring the cross-tie in position to be acted upon by the cutters the carriage stands substantially vertical, so that avertical line passes substantially through its longitudinal center and through the center of the leg, as indicated very clearly in Fig. 5 of the drawings, and hence the minimum expenditure of labor on the part of the operator is required to adjust the cross-tie and presentit more or less closely to the cutters, the equilibrium of the swinging carrier and its crosstie when raised into operative position being such that their movement back and forth can be easily and very quickly effected. This is an important feature in a machine so constructed as to be adapted for cutting railway cross-ties, inasmuch as the cross-ties are heavy and it is a disadvantage in the working of the machine to have the whole weight of the carrier and its cross-tie thrown forward of a vertical line with the entire weight against the cutters. When the carrier is moved into its inoperative position, it stands back from a substantially vertical line through its axis and is held at a greater or less angle of inclination, according to the adjustment of the chain stop hereinafter described.

It will be further observed that the train of gears which connect the shaft 1, having the hand-wheel J, with the rotary shaft L, which carries the head and tail stocks, constitutes a powermultiplying mechanism by means of which the operator who manipulates the handwheel J can with comparative ease lift the head and. tail stocks and log carried by them and move the log with a steady regular movement into juxtaposition or operative relation to the rotary cutters and in a manner that will prevent the leg from coming in violent impact with the cutters, which if permitted would subject the parts of the machine to great strain and to a greater or less extent impair the effectiveness of the machine. It will also be observed that this movement of the log-carrier through the power-multiplying means is under the direct control of the operator who manipulates the hand-wheel J, and consequently the movement can be effected at the speed desired by the operator, and when the log is brought into a substantially vertical position in front of the rotary cutters it can be adjusted with great nicety and with promptness and ease to and from the cutters, so that more or less of the log may be cut off by the rotating cutters, thus increasing the efliciency of the machine and guarding against possible injury to any of the parts by presenting too much log-surface for the cutters to remove in any one rotation of the cutters. Moreover, the power-multiplying mechanism introduces an element of resistance to the normal tendency of retrogression on the part of the log in being moved to and from the cutters, said resistance being interposed between the manually-operated device and the log-carrier, and as a consequence there is greater ease in moving the log and less strain on the operator from the weight of the log, and the efficiency of the machine is materially increased. It is to be observed also that as the log-carrier is moved forward through the instrumentality of the powermultiplying mechanism under the control of the operator the log may be set into rotation by a gradual movement of the parts and tightening of the belt h by contact of the belttightener therewith, thus preventing any sud den jar or strain at the time of setting the log into rotation. It will thus be seen that several advantages are obtained by the employment of the power-multiplying mechanism described, which connects the hand-operated shaft with the log-carrier, and by placing the movement of the parts under the absolute control of the operator through the instrumentality specified.

For the purpose of limiting the backward movement or throw of the stocks O suitable means is employcd for instance, a chain S, which may be connected at one end to one of the standards 0, as illustrated in Fig. 3, and at the other end to the stock 0, as illustrated in Fig. 1, and by taking up links in the chain the backward throw of the stocks may be regulated.

The stock O is formed with a recess O designed to receive the former or pattern T, which will determine the shape to be given to the cross-tie P, and which pattern is made in two parts, as illustrated in Fig. 5, so that the same may be fitted in the recess and made to encircle the spindle N, the two parts of the former being held together by the boltsq and keyed or clamped to the spindle l. If the cross-tie is to be made with two flat sides and two curved sides or edges, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 12 of the drawings, the former will be of the corresponding shape as illustrated in Fig. 5. If some other shape is to be imparted to the cross-tie, the former of the shape shown is removed and another of the desired shape substituted in place of it. A shoe U is bolted to one of the standards C, as illustrated, so that the former may bear against the same when the stocks and cross-tie are moved into position next to the cutters for the purpose of shaping the cross-tie. A shield V is supported over the cutters by means of arms 0, in which is journaled the rod W, having secured thereto the shield V, and also by means of posts 0", which at their lower ends bear loosely upon the journal-boxes of the cutter-shaft E, as illustrated, and at their upper ends pass through the shield V, which is held thereto by means of nuts s s, so that by adjusting the nuts the shield can be drawn nearer to or farther from the cutters, as may be desired. Beneath the cutter-shaft E and extending from one standard C to the other standard is placed a shield X, which will rest upon the tie-rods D, and thus form a shield or cover beneath the cutters.

With a machine constructed and having the several parts operating in the manner described railway cross ties can be quickly shaped so that their opposite cut sides are parallel and have smooth surfaces, so that no depressions or cavities will exist for the retention of water, which when they are present tend to cause the ties to soften and rot, and hence materially shorten their lives. Furthermore, by having the cross-ties made with smooth surfaces and of uniform diameter they can be more easily positioned and spaced at regular distances apart, so that when it becomes necessary to replace an old tie with a new one the amount of ballast used for the old tie will answer for the new tie, whereas when the ties are irregular in the cross-section and an old tie is replaced with a new one it not infrequently happens that additional ballast must be provided where the ties are not of uniform diameter. By having all the ties of uniform diameter it also enables the old ones to be replaced with new ties with much less labor andtime than is the case where the ties removed are of a different diameter from those with which they are replaced. Furthermore, ties produced by this machine have hewn surfaces, the pores of which are closed by the pressure of the knives in the same way that (but to a greater extent) an ax or adZ acts upon the surfaces of hand-hewn ties. Another advantage of this machine is that it can be readily moved from one place to another, so that the ties can be formed wherever it may be most convenient and in a very short period of time. The parts forming the machine are comparatively few in number and are so assembled as to occupy the minimum of space and to have all the parts readily accessi- The parts are also so assembled that the ble.

application of the power is most direct and the greatest strength in construction is obtaincd.

By combining with the swinging carrier, which supports the cross-tie, a system of gears by means of which the carrier may be raised and lowered toward and from the cutters the cross-tie is raised and lowered by a regular steady movement, so that it is presented by a gradual tooth-by-tooth movement to the cutters, thus avoiding the possibility of the cross-tie falling or being urged with too great force against the cutters, which, it' permitted, would tend to jar and rack the machine and impair the etiiciency of the operation of the parts. The cross-ties are usually heavy, and if the hand and strength of the operator alone be depended upon for moving or swinging the cross-tie to and from the cutter the movement is apt to be very irregular and sudden and to result in damage to the machine; but by providing a system of gears for the purpose the teeth of the gears act as regulating stops or checks, so that the swinging movement is rendered gradual and steady and the cross-tie can be presented with a nicety of adjustment not otherwise possible, and, furthermore, the swinging ot' the carrier, together with the cross-tie which it supports, is rendered easier and with practically no strain upon the operator. All of these advantages are particularly important in a crosstic machine where the heavy cross-tie has to be lifted and should be presented by a gradual and steady movement to the cutters.

iVe have illustrated and described what we consider to be the best construction and arrangement of the several parts to give the best results; but it is obvious that changes can be made and the essential features of our invention still be retained.

Having described our invention and set forth its merits, what we claim is 1. In a machine for making cross-ties, the combination of agang of rotary cutters, a movable log-carrier for presenting the log to the cutters provided with head and tail stocks having chucks for centering the log, a former acting to determine the cross-section to which the log shall be cut, a manually-operated device for moving the log-carrier to and from the cutters, retrogression resisting powermultiplying mechanism interposed between and connecting the manually-operated device and log-carrier, and means for rotating the head-stock brought into action by the movement of the log-carrier and under the control of said manually-operated device and powermultiplying mechanism, whereby the log-car- 'rier is moved toward the cutters by said device and.power-multiplying mechanism and the head-stock is caused to rotate without shock or jar, and the log is then fed to the cutters under the steady graduated control of the said device and mechanism so as to be presented to the cutters without the shock or strain due to violent impact of the log against the cutters, substantially as described.

2. In a machine for making cross-ties, the combination of a gang of rotary cutters, a movable log-carrier for presenting the log to the cutters provided with head and tail stocks having chucks 't'or centering the log, means t'or rotating the head-stock as the carrier is brought into juxtaposition to the cutters, a former acting to determine the cross-section to which the log shall be cut, a manually-operated device t'or moving the log-carrier to and from the cutters, gears interposed between and connecting the man uall y-operated device and logcarrier whereby as the log-carrier is moved from a state of rest toward the cutters by said device and gears the log is caused to lirst rotate by means under control of said device and ge ars and is then fed to the cutters under the steady graduated control of the same device and gears so as to be presented to the cutters without shock or strain due to violent impact of the log against the cutters, substantially as described.

3. In a machine for making cross-ties, the combination oi a gang of rotary cutters, a movable log-carrier .t'or presenting the log to the cutters provided with head and tail stocks, means For rotating one of the stocks, a lormer acting to determine the cross-section to which the log is be cut, a manually-operated device tor moving the log-carrier to and from the cutters, and power-multiplying gears interposed between and connecting the manually-operated device and log-carrier, where by a log carried by the head and tail stocks may be presented and fed to the cutters under the ready control of the operator to be cut to the determined cross-section of tie, substantially as described.

4:. In a machine for making cross-ties, the combination of a gang of rotary cutters, a movable log-carrier provided with head and tail stocks for presenting the log to the cutter, means for rotating the head-stock, a former acting to determine the cross-section to which the log is to be cut, a manually-operated device for moving the log-carrier to and from the cutter, and retrogression-resisting power mechanism interposed between and connect ing the manually-operated device and log-earrier, whereby a log carried by the head and tail stocks may be presented and fed to the cutter under the ready control of the operator to be cut to the determined cross-section of the tie, substantially as described.

5. In a machine for making cross-ties, the combination of a gang of rotary cutters, amovable log-carrier for presenting the log to the cutters provided with head and tail stocks having chucks for centering the log, means for retating the head-stock as the carrier is brought into juxtaposition to the cutters, a former acting to determine the cross-section to which TOC the log shall be cut, a manually-operated device for moving the log-carrier to and from the cutters, power-multiplying gears interposed between and connecting the manuallyoperated device and log-carrier whereby as the log-carrier is moved from a state of rest toward the cutters by said device and powermultiplying gears the log is caused to rotate by means under control of said device and multiplying-gears and is then fed to the cutters under the steady graduated control of the same device and gears so as to be presented to the cutters without shock or strain due to violent impact of the log against the cutters,

substantially as described.

6. In a machine for making cross-ties, the combination of a gang of rotary cutters, a swinging carrier for presenting the log to the cutters provided with head and tail stocks havin g chucks for centering the log, means for ro-. tating the head-stock as the carrier is brought into juxtaposition to the cutters, a former acting to determine the cross-section to which the log shall be cut, and power-multiplying gearing under control of the operator for lifting the log-carrier and moving it to and from the cutters at a speed controlled by the operator whereby upon movement of the log-carrier means will be put into operation to rotate the log and the log will next be brought into operative relation to the rotary cutters by a regulated movement under control of the operator which will prevent violent impact of the log against the cutters, substantially as described.

7. In a machine for making cross-ties, the combination of a gang of rotary cutters, a swinging carrier for presenting the log to the cutters provided with head and tail stocks having chucks for centering the log, means for rotating the head-stock as the carrier is brought into juxtaposition to the cutters, a former acting to determine the cross-section to which the log shall be cut, and power-multiplying gearing for lifting the log-carrier and maintaining it in a substantially vertical position in operative relation to the cutters whereby the log can be presented to the cutters without violent impact therewith and may be adjusted by the operator, during the operation of cutting, toward and from the cutters, substantially as described.

8. In a machine for making cross-ties, the combination of rotary cutters, a carrier for supporting the cross-tie, said carrier being adapted to swing in a vertical plane toward and from the cutters and so located in relation to the cutters that when raised-to present the cross-tie to the cutters it will stand in a substantially vertical position, and power-multiplying gearing under control of the operator for moving the carrier into operative relation to the cutters without violent impact against the cutters, substantially as described.

9. In a machine for making cross-ties, the combination of rotary cutters,'a carrier for supporting the cross-tie parallel with the cutters and adapted to swing in a vertical plane toward and from the cutters, arelativelylarge gear connected to a part of the swinging carrier, and concentric with the axis of the swing of the carrier, and a relatively small gear meshing with the gear of the swinging carrier and operated by manually-controlled means for raising and lowering the carrier with its crosstie in an arc toward and from the cutters by a steady tooth-by-tooth movement to present a greater or less thickness of cross-tie to the cutters proportionate to the rotation of the gears, and whereby the log is presented to the cutters without strain or shock due to violent impact of the log against the cutters, substantially as described.

10. In a machine for making cross-ties, the combination with rotary cutters, a carrier for supporting a cross-tie parallel with the cutters and adapted to swing in a vertical plane toward and from the cutters, a relatively large gear connected to a part of the swinging carrier and concentric with the axis of the swing of the carrier, a relatively small gear meshing with the gear of the swinging carrier and operated by manually controlled means to raise and lower the carrier in an arc toward and from the cutters by a steady tooth-bytooth movement to present a greater or less thickness of cross-tie to the cutters proportionate to the rotation of the gear and prevent the log being thrown against the cutters with a violent impact, and means thrown into action by said gears, to impart a rotary motion to the cross-tie, on being moved toward the cutters and out of action when the crosstie is retracted, substantially as described.

11. In a machine for making crossties, the combination with rotary cutters and their shaft, of the loosely-mounted belt-wheel and pinion, the belt connecting said belt-wheel and the shaft of the cutters, the rotatable shaft having the spindle-stocks secured thereto to rotate therewith and provided with a loosely-mounted gear and pinion, said gear meshing with the pinion of the belt-wheel, the stock-spindle provided with a gear meshing with the pinion of the stock-shaft, a belttightener operating to take up the slack in the belt as the spindle-stocks are moved toward the rotary cutters, and means for rotating the stock-shaft to swing the spindle-stocks toward the cutters, said means consisting of a train of gears connected with the stockshaft and acting to feed the spindle-stocks toward the cutters by a steady graduated movement that will prevent violent impact of the log against the cutters, substantially as described.

12. In a machine for making cross-ties, the combination with rotary cutters, of the rotatable shaft having the spindle-stocks rigidly secured thereto and provided with gears at opposite ends, and the shaft provided with pinions meshing with the gears of the stockshaft and having a wheel for turning the shaft to impart a swinging movement to the spindlestocks, substantially as described.

13. In a machine for making cross-ties, the combination with the rotary outta-shaft and the swinging spindle-stock, of the belt-wheel and its shaft and belt connecting the same with the cutter-shaft, the belt-tightener consisting of the jointed lever having one member connected with the spindle-stock and provided with a member to bear against the belt as the spindle-stock is moved toward the cutters, and means for transmitting motion from the belt-wheel shaft to the spindle-stock to swing the stock toward and from the cutters, substantially as described.

14:. In a machine for making cross-ties, the combination with the rotary cutter-shaft and its cutters, and the rotatable shaft having the spindle-stock secured thereto to rotate therel with, of the belt-Wheel and its supportingshaft, the belt connecting said wheel with the cuttershaft,the belt-tightener connected with the spindle-stock and having a member to i bear against the belt, means for transmitting motion from the belt-wheel-supporting shaft to move the spindle-stock toward the cutters, and means for adjustably limiting the extent I of backward movement of said stock, sub stantially as described.

15. A machine for making cross-ties, comprising rotary cutters, a shaft provided. with fixed pinions and with a loosely-mounted beltwheel and pinion, a rotary shaft carrying spindle-stocks and provided with rigidlyaflixed gears meshing with the fixed pinions of the first-mentioned shaft and having a loosely-mounted gear and pinion, said gear meshing with the loose pinion of the pilotshaft, a gear fixed to a rotary spindle carried by one of the spindle-stocks and provided with a gear meshing with the loose pinion of the stock-shaft, a pattern or former carried by said rotary spindle, and a belt-tightener thrown into operation by the movement of the spindle stock, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof we aliix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

CONSTAN'LINE ALEXANDER lllfiGE. ClSCO R1. TRAXLER.

\Vitnesses as to the signature of Constantine Alexander Hege:

R. S. REED, Roe'r. HIMENEZ.

W'itncsses as to the signature of Cisco R. TraXler:

R. J. J. SPRATTEY, E. H. BEASLEY. 

